Understanding scenes in blender. (linked objects)
The way linked option is intended is to have a base file in which you perform modeling, rigging, skinning, texturing and everything referred to the "building" of characters, props, environments and so on.

Then instances of all theese objects can be linked into a new file in which you will perfom the scenes, animations, lighting, camera movements and so.

The idea is that if you decide later to modify something in one character, the edit will be reflected into all the scenes in which that character has been used.

So, for a "correct" workflow you can simply save a new version of your file, delete all the animations, and link from this new file.

I've read that the link function will be changed in future, to let edits also over linked objects (by now you can also use the simpler "append" function, which will not automatically reflect any new change in the base file).